The Potter's Wheel

A piece of semi-soft clay is affixed to a wheel head which spins, powered by hand, foot (pushing or pulling against a heavy flywheel) or an electric motor. The clay is manipulated by the potters hands as it turns, using water as a lubricant, as the lump is coaxed into the shape of a bowl, cup, plate, vase, or some other object of utility and beauty.

After the form sets up a bit through drying, it is inverted and turned again; excess clay is cut from the bottom, using a hand held trimmer.

The evolution of this amazing tool began as a shallow dish or bowl, used as a primitive wheel head, turned by the hand of the potter or an assistant, while a vessel was built upon it by stacking clay coils.

Probably starting in the fourth millennia B.C., in Mesopotamia (now southern Iraq), the technology spread quickly as the potter's wheel evolved into a more efficient device.

It was used in ancient Egypt and China, and later in greater Europe, into which it moved by way of Crete and Cyprus.

Besides making pottery on an electric powered wheel, I also produce ware using molds of my own design, as well as extrusion and slab techniques. For me, none of the latter methods compare with the wheel in terms of production speed and efficiency, or the amount of enjoyment I derive from its use.

The potter's wheel is more than a machine; it is a noble and unique instrument, providing a means of creative expression when used by a skilled potter.